What began as a house party in Tijuana has grown into an established music festival that gets bigger each year.

The All My Friends Music Festival celebrates its fifth year this month as an event that gathers cross-border independent rock bands in Tijuana, and this year's festival marks its shift toward a more central forum in Baja on a private beach in Rosarito.

"It wasn't our intention to do a festival," said Argenis Garcia, the festival's creative director and one of the founders. "Suddenly 800 people had arrived and people were leaving at 7 in the morning, and my friends said 'Let's do this every year.'"

With the passing of time, the festival grew from including only local Tijuana rock bands to one with bands from Monterrey and Mexicali to today, where some 24 musical acts, including Point Loma (aka Bostich of Nortec), Puerto Rico's Fuete Billete and San Francisco's Lumerians.

This year will also bring another angle to the All My Friends experience: With the incorporation of a gastronomic element, a kitchen station will feature chefs from trendy, new Tijuana restaurants such as Caza Club, Urbano, BCB and Verde y Crema.

Garcia, 28, says that these elements, as well as the venue — which in past years has been held at a Tijuana mansion and at the city's Casa de la Cultura — help to make the festival a more complete experience.

"Many times it's not just about the music," Garcia said of music festivals. "It’s also about the environment and the overall experience, so they can say, 'I saw this band that I loved' and also 'I saw the sunset ... .'"

The event will kick off with a pre-party at TJ's Moustache Bar on Friday, although the main music event will be held on Saturday at the Castillos del Mar Hotel in Rosarito. It will continue on until the following day.

Organizers expect anywhere from 1,500 to 3,500 people. Some of the attendees are expected to come from the United States, so a shuttle service from the border is being offered (via Turista Libre at a a cost of $30).